“I’m not sure you’ve entirely grasped the concept of feminism, but I’ll give you points for trying.”
“Do I get points for this?” Morrie growled. He whipped me around, pressed my back into the stone wall, and slammed his lips against mine.
Heat coursed through my body as his tongue fought its way between my teeth to tangle with mine. Every part of me sparked to life – hot, achy, needy. I angled my body toward him, capturing more of his heat.
Quoth squawked in protest as his cage clattered on the cobbles. Morrie’s hands skimmed my sides, tugging at the hem of my jacket, fighting to access the naked skin beneath. I gave into the temptation that had lurked in the back of my mind ever since we first crossed paths and surrendered myself utterly to his expert lips. Rough stone teased my thighs and Morrie’s hands were everywhere andOh Isis, it feels so good.
All the fear and hurt and tension of the last two days welled up inside me, burning up beneath Morrie’s touch. His tongue teased out something deeper – the black hole of my uncertain future that threatened to devour me. His fire lit up the darkness and I glimpsed the void, and in that moment I thought that whatever awaited me, I could face it down and defeat it.
My hands reached up, moving of their own accord, drawing by the heat like a moth to a flame. I twisted my fingers through Morrie’s hair, messing up his perfectly coiffed locks, dragging him closer, stoking the fire that raged between us.
Rough stone scraped my back, but I didn’t care. My heart pounded in my ears as Morrie dipped his hand under the waistband of my leggings. His finger stroked the outside of my panties, which were already wet. He pinched the fabric and tugged it aside.
I can’t believe this is happening.
“People will see,” I whimpered as Morrie’s finger slid inside me.
Oh Ishtar, I don’t care.
“Let them see,” Morrie murmured against my lips. “Let them see a woman in charge of her own pleasure.”
My protests died away as Morrie thrust a second finger inside me and swirled his thumb against my clit. He moved with a steady rhythm, slow at first – controlled. I squirmed as the heat bubbled inside me.
Morrie didn’t let me move, didn’t ease his relentless pace. His thumb pounded against my clit as those fingers worked their way inside me, faster and faster until stars exploded in my eyes.
“Bite me, gorgeous.” Morrie placed his other hand across my lips. I bit down on his skin as the heat bubbled over and an orgasm exploded through my body.
Talk about seeing stars. The world went black for a moment, bursting with bright lights as my body shuddered against the rough brick. Morrie’s hand slipped out of my panties and gripped my hip, holding me against him while I regained the use of my legs.
“Whoa,” I whispered.
“Plenty more where that came from. You have only to inquire.” Morrie held up my hand and kissed it. His finger grazed my cheek and I smelled myself on him, and the way he didn’t try to wipe his hand but kept grinning at me with that evil smile was nearly enough to melt me into a puddle all over again.
I smoothed down my jacket and steadied myself. As soon as I peeled my back from the wall, guilt and shame slammed into me, nearly knocking me back again.
What am I thinking? This isn’t me, being finger-fucked up against a wall in broad daylight where anyone could see. I can’t let this happen again, not withhim. That’s James Moriarty. He’s not just any criminal, he isthecriminal. He should be reprehensible to me, not irresistible.
Another guy might’ve noticed my abrupt mood shift and asked it I was okay, or at least made mention of this change in our friendship status. But Morrie glanced at his watch and frowned. “We shall be late if we don’t hurry.”
And before I could protest, he drew up Quoth’s cage, grabbed my arm, and yanked me down the alley and into the square beyond. He walked at a brisk pace, swinging the cage and whistling to himself, passing people on the streets like we were just another couple off doing London things, as if Morrie wasn’t waving around two fingers that smelled of me.
I needed to get away from him, to process what just happened, to figure out what the hell I was going to do about seeing him every day in the shop and the fact that Quoth had to see us.
Oh Astarte, Quoth just saw me orgasm and Heathcliff… what about Heathcliff?
Guilt swelled in my stomach, like I’d betrayed Quoth and Heathcliff, which was ridiculous because I wasn’t dating either of them. There wasn’t even a hint of a promise in the air between any of us, just this relentless sexual tension that filled every shadowy corner of Nevermore Bookshop.
What am I going to do?
I didn’t have time to consider any more, because Morrie slammed on the brakes and I crashed into him. Quoth croaked as Morrie tossed the cage in the air to catch me.
“Throwing yourself at me already, gorgeous?” His teeth scraped against my earlobe, sending a shiver down my spine and straight to my clit, driving the guilt from my mind. “Alas, but we must get to business.”
Morrie pointed to the shop in front of us – Holly Santiago’s boutique. I’d called ahead yesterday, explaining I was from Marcus Ribald’s office and we wanted to speak about a potential collaboration. Holly’s assistant fell over herself to offer us this appointment. My eyes picked up the rhinestone-studded dresses and cultist tunics in the windows.
“I want it.” I pressed my nose to the glass, drooling over a long-sleeved t-shirt decorated with occult symbols.
“Eyes on the prize, gorgeous.” Morrie’s hand closed around my arm. “You’d make a terrible crook. Too easily distracted.”
